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Anna Lee

Anna Lee MBE (January 2, 1913 – May 14, 2004) was an English actress. She was born Joan Boniface Winnifrith in Igtham, Kent, England, the daughter of a clergyman who encouraged her desire to act. She studied at the Royal Albert Hall, then debuted in 1932 with a bit part in the film His Lordship. When she and her husband, director Robert Stevenson, moved to Hollywood she became associated with John Ford, appearing in several of his movies, notably How Green Was My Valley and Fort Apache.

Lee made frequent appearances on television anthology series in the 1940s and 1950s, including Robert Montgomery Presents, The Ford Theatre Hour, Kraft Television Theatre, Armstrong Circle Theatre and Wagon Train.

She had a small, but memorable, role as Sister Margaretta in The Sound of Music. Sister Margaretta was a supporter of Maria in the abbey, and was one of the two nuns who slowed the Nazis down by removing car engine parts, allowing the Von Trapps to escape.

In later years, she became known to a new generation as the matriarch Lila Quartermaine on General Hospital and Port Charles until her disgraceful sacking in 2003, which one of her sons attested would sap her will to live. She died not long after.

On her passing, Anna Lee was interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

On May 21, 2004, she was posthumously awarded a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award; she was scheduled to receive the award for months, but she died before she could receive it. On July 16, 2004, GH aired a tribute to Lee by holding a memorial service for her character (Lila Quartermaine), and, obviously, no mention was made of the disgraceful sacking of this distinguished actress at the age of 90 the previous year. Despite this, her son attended to receive the award on her behalf.

She was the goddaughter of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and lifelong friend of his daughter, Dame Jean Conan Doyle.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2006.

Anna Lee Facts

Birth NameJoan Boniface Winnifrith
OccupationActress
BirthdayJanuary 2, 1913
SignCapricorn
BirthplaceIgtham, England, United Kingdom
Date of deathMay 14, 2004 (Beverly Hills, California, USA, age 91)

Selected Filmography

Almost Famous
Ant-Man
Pitch Perfect 2
Omega
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
Pitch Perfect
What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?
The Sound of Music
Double Jeopardy
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